EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY OF GUILLAIN-BARRE-SYNDROME IN CHILDREN LESS-THAN-15 YEARS OF AGE IN LATIN-AMERICA

In 1986, surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases among chi ldren <15 years of age was implemented in Latin America as part of the initiative to eradicate poliomyelitis from the Western Hemisphere. Da ta on AFP, including Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), could be analyzed from a regional registry system and from specific GBS studies in seven countries. Between 1989 and 1991, 3112 cases of GBS were reported in Latin America, representing 52% of all nonpolio AFP cases. From the st udies in seven countries, a total of 1527 GBS cases (49%) were studied , representing an overall annual incidence rate of 0.91/100,000 childr en <15 years old. Follow-up investigations showed a persistent muscula r weakness at 60 days, 6 months, and 1 year after onset in 61%, 14%, a nd 10% of children, respectively. This study confirms that with the di sappearance of polio, GBS arises as the most common cause of AFP.